Quote:
Originally Posted by claricecolin
As I see it the main issue with Dolzal is that she lied for personal gain. She gave talks as a black woman talking about the black experience. She claimed she was a victim of hate crimes as a black woman. She made up her upbringing. She also sued Howard as a white woman claiming discrimination. You simply cannot claim "blackness" when it is convenient for you.
There are non black heads of NCAAP chapters so she still could have participated if she wished as what she is.
As far as how biracial people classify themselves that depends on many factors. In my experience those who are very light/have more European features tend to be more likely to classify as biracial. Those who are darker/more African features may choose Black or African American. Those that do usually do so as that is what most people would assume they are. That is primarily the reason President Obama refers to himself as black. If he were walking down the street one would think black man not biracial.
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I interviewed for a Reference Librarian position at North Carolina Central University's Law Library. NCCU is a traditionally African American school. I had not known that when I applied but had been applying to just about every librarianship position that was advertised by the various library associations. This was in December of 1994. I never saw so many shades of color. There was even someone who looked like an albino but of African American ancestry. These people seemed to fit in there but many I would not have described as African American just from their looks. Their going to NCCU made them identify themselves as African American to others. This does seem more complicated though as some African Americans with very few actual "black" features are still black as seen by themselves and the people they associate with as with some of the NCCU Law School students and professors.
My sister-in-law is of African descent but she seems to first see herself as Jamaican. She is also a US citizen having served in the US Navy as a support staff to SEALs. She has one son, Balil, who is quite dark in complexion another, Kalil, who is quite light. He has still pointed at his skin and told me that he did not chose this. This was when he was about 6 or so. He is around 14 now.